Introduction to Crystal Structures:
Bond Strength (Pauling's Rule #2)

Dexter Perkins
,
University of North Dakota
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Summary

A look at Pauling's "electrostatic valency" principle.

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Context

Audience

This exercise is designed for a mid/upper-level undergraduate geology course on the principles of mineralogy.

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

Students should have knowledge of basic chemistry and of minerals equivalent to what they would learn in an introductory geology class.

How the activity is situated in the course

This activity is the 33rd of 36 mineralogy exercises and is used at the end of the course.

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

  • Understand the nature and strength of ionic bonds.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

  • Think about crystals as systems governed by fundamental physical/electrostatic laws.

Other skills goals for this activity

Description of the activity/assignment

A look at Pauling's "electrostatic valency" principle.

Determining whether students have met the goals

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